Iris's Gift destroyed the treble hopes of Baracouda in the Bonusprint Stayers' Hurdle to leave Best Mate as the only champion of 2003 to retain his crown.
Barry Geraghty experienced the low of being deposed on Wednesday as Moscow Flyer jettisoned him and his Champion Chase crown at the fourth last.
But there was no mistaking his determination here to get the Jonjo O'Neill-trained grey one place better than last year when Iris's Gift gave best to the French superstar. Once again Baracouda came to challenge in the straight and Thierry Doumen looked to have timed it to perfection. Except this time Iris's Gift, who had only one warm-up race this season, wouldn't buckle.
"This horse is as hard as nails. I still felt we had a chance when Baracouda came alongside because he hadn't travelled as well as last year. And I knew my fellow would run all the way to the line," said O'Neill afterwards.
Solerina did best of the Irish in fourth after leading to the second last but ultimately all she did was provide Iris's Gift with a lead.
"I had a word with Gary (Hutchinson) beforehand and said Solerina didn't need a break-neck gallop. All he'd be doing is playing into Baracouda's hands," said Geraghty.
Owner JP McManus said he will now think about a chasing career for Baracouda but Aintree's Martell Hurdle could be on the cards for Solerina.
Top Strategy did best of the Irish to finish third in the JCB Triumph Hurdle behind the 20 to 1 winner Made In Japan. It was a second victory of the week for Richard Johnson and Philip Hobbs who said: "I've always said Rooster Booster was our banker, then Monkerhostin who won yesterday, and after him this horse. Yet he still went off 20 to 1. The four-year-old race at Aintree is worth more than this so he will go there and then Punchestown."
Top Strategy's stable companion Never Compromise travelled like a winner for much of the Foxhunters Chase but ultimately could not peg back the veteran Earthmover who was winning the race again after a six-year gap.
After a disasterous opening day, Cheltenham 2004 took on a much brigher hue for Paul Nicholls (champion trainer at the festival) as 35 minutes after Earthmover, St Pirran took the Grand Annual under a perfect stalking ride from Ruby Walsh and then Sporazene kept on well enough to score in the festival finale, the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle.
Charlie Swan, so often the dominant jockey here in his riding days, had his hopes raised by Ground Ball who disputed it with St Pirran at the last but the winner was always going just that bit better.
"I thought for a long time we'd win this and it has been the plan," Nicholls explained. "We were well in if his jumping stood up. We took him to Wincanton on Friday to school with Cenkos and he jumped well. He'll definitely go to Aintree and then maybe Sandown in April."
